Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Does age matter?? K1	Age is just a #. Love conquers all.	SuperDuper!	Male	0	2011-06-18 00:46:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	My true love from Morocco,	Your Muslim fiancee is ok with becoming agnostic for you? Good luck with your interview. Wow!	SuperDuper!	Male	0	2011-06-25 02:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Red Flag List for visa denial	Congratz on meeting your true love and taking action. Life is short, and we must pursue our happiness now. Some people are so self-righteous and will tell you, "wait a year after your divorce, and give yourself time to heal." Well, I say Bullshit to that! Maybe what I need to heal me is a fine woman that loves and cares for me 24/7, and need her ASAP. Plus, what if you waited, and she got scooped up by another man? Itz not right that they discriminate against someone who is recently divorced, but it is possible someone could try to lay that trip on you in your VJ. Just have a consistent and confident answer, and document your relationship bulletproof style. Now that is some Darn good advice! Good Luck and 2010 will be a great year for you!	SuperDuper!	Male	0	2010-01-02 12:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Customs at LAX	Has anyone here or their spouses/fiances been through customs at LAX? And especially anyone from a MENA country? About how long does it take? Thanks Have all your papers ready and in order. Don't bring any replica or pirated items. The less you bring the better. Make direct eye contact and relax. Smile and say thank you. Should be no problems. I'd say up to 90 minutes is fair for hubby to be waiting for ya! Congratz!	SuperDuper!	Male	0	2011-06-30 08:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	what to take to the airport?	Be sure to turn in the sealed envelope to the CBP agent who clears you thru customs. I've seen a couple incidences reported here, where the agent forgot to collect the sealed envelope. You definitely do NOT want to take that mystery envelope home with you, hehe. Welcome to America!	SuperDuper!	Male	0	2011-07-05 22:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	CFO VALIDITY	Six months it is. That's why it is suggested that you head into Manila a few days early prior to your interview to take care of it. OR go AFTER your successful interview with your VISA and take the class and get the STAMP all in one CFO stop instead of going x2. Good Luck!	SuperDuper!	Male	0	2011-07-19 21:30:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Newbie wondering what direction to take	I married my wife in Bogota, Colombia on December 20, 2010. I want to bring her to the USA as quickly as possible, and this forum seems like a good spot for help. I am wondering about getting a lawyer, since I don't want to screw up any step of the process, but I figured I would see if I can handle it myself. I visited this link Visa comparison that details the differences in Visas. It appears as if the IR1 / CR1 is the best bet. Now, I also noticed the option below, which is for Direct Consular Filing (DCF). I am wondering if this applies to me, and if it does, it seems like the quickest method to getting her to the US so she can live, work, etc. (approx. 3 months waiting time for approval) As for me, I have dual citizenship. I was born in the US, but I am also a Colombian resident (got this a couple years ago since my mother was born there). They say this is the requirement to qualify for the DCF route. I am currently in the US, but I can fly to Bogota to apply in person at the Embassy to get the ball rolling. Has anybody done this? I appreciate any help. I am just getting into this and the amount of information is a tad overwhelming, hence the thought about doing it with a lawyer. Keep in mind a lawyer is simply an expensive filter. You will be required to provide all the exact same info to the lawyer that you would put on the forms. Most of the time the lawyer slows the process down because they have to handle all the paper work again. To do the DCF you must be a legal resident of Colombia for at least 6 months. You dont have to be there in person to file DCF but you will have to file the case there. It is intimidating at first but you can do it just as we have.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-23 15:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	6 months and 12 days	It has been 6 months and 12 days since USCIS in California received our I-129F application and we have not heard a single word. We have Senator Cantwell's office now helping us and hopefully something will happen soon. This is ridiculous. I have visited my fiance, in Thailand, 9 times in the past 12 months. We submitted a lot of evidence of our relationship, so I don't understand why we have not received the NOA2 yet. Many people have gone or are going thru this exact same thing. It a journey which most of the time takes a long time. In my own case ( 408 ) days, we also didnt hear a single word. This is nothing new. The problem in your case isnt about your relationship at this point. It is simply that USCIS is busy. The cases you see here on V J are a small percent of the total cases they are processing. Its great to ask your Senator for help but do not expect them to have any real influence on the situation. Every Congressman & Senator has a staff trained to placate the citizens. These are the same politicians that havent done one thing to reform immigration laws for 60 years. Ask yours to explain exactly what the last action they took to do so. Have them send you their voting record on immigration. There is very little they can do unless there is something seriously wrong with your case. Its too bad its that way but it is. Very few V J members have reported the politicians having any reaj affect on their case. In our own Senator Finestine wouldnt respond. Her staff with 20 years experiance in immigration matters proved to be useless. It took a month to get any info at all & when they did respond they sent it to the wrong address. You will get the same responce. " USCIS is working on your case ".	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-24 08:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	What if I don't make enough?	What happens if I don't make enough money for the Affidavit of Support to be valid? If you dont meet the poverty level requirement the case will be denied. Check with the embassy to ask if they allow co sponsors for your K 1 case. If so find one. If not consider marrying in Mexico & then file for a C R 1 which does allow the use of so sponsors.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-24 13:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Moving fiance's parents to the US	Thank you for your upfront reply. So in order for them to eventually come, it would take years and years... I wonder, from the time we got married and she had an AOS, then lifting of conditions... how long will it take? It seems like it would be years upon years to get them over here. Any clue? Thanks. Plan on at least 10 years. If you want to try the tourist visa first study the " strongest ties " rule that has to be complied with by them. This can be difficult but they may qualify if the case is presented correctly. No one can say how it will go for them because every case is decided on its own merits. From what I have seen its not easy for people from the Ukraine. Their age may help quite a bit.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-22 19:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Quick question: affadavit of support	From everything I read I thought I fill out the I-134..however I went to the local USCIS office to ask a question about that and the lady said no, I have to fill out the I-864..but I thought that was for people that were already married? I made sure to tell her we weren't married yet? Can someone confirm this one way or the other? Thanks!! Read the guides here on V J. There you will find the info you need. You will fill out the 134 & forward to your fiance for submission prior to the interview.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-25 18:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	packet 4 (Italy)	I was wondering exactly what I should be expecting from the packet four. We have the interview scheduled and received a confirmation email a couple of hours later, but i'm assuming that is not the packet four. When should I expect to get it? I know its different for everyone, but just wondering if there are any italian/american couples out there that did the k1 fiance visa and have a better idea of what i should expect/already have. P 4 is simply the letter indicating the interview date.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-25 20:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Change of Address - a hassle?	Hey guys Just wondering, it looks like you can change your address on record with the USCIS online on their website. Does this complicate things? Will there be any need for paperwork? Or is it literally just a matter of creating an Account with them based on the case number from the NOA1 and changing the address? Thank you so much. David & Maggie Make sure the immigrants name is on the change of address form from the USPS & in your new mail box. We didnt do this for my daughter& it caused a lot of trouble.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-27 19:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	RFE after waiting 6 1/2 months	Today, I received a RFE from USCIS California. I really don't understand why we were not just approved outright. I had visited my fiance 6 times in 8 months in Thailand. We submitted an apartment lease with both of our names on it. I had spent more than 100 days with her in Thailand prior to submitting our I-129F. I sent in many photos of trips we have taken to Phuket, Chiang mai and Udon Thani. I sent in all copies of my airline boarding passes and copies of my passport stamps. I just am very confused as to what more evidence I can provide to them. Has anyone else provided this kind of evidence and then been asked for more evidence? It would help if you defined what the RFE said. The rest of this is just wild speculation. Inky may be right but we need to know what they asked for.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-25 20:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-134 questions	We're using a lawyer (unfortunately ;-P) and the lawyer filled out the co-sponsors I-134a very sparsely. In fact he only filled out the co-sponsors income information. She makes a lot of money, which I'm assuming is why the lawyer didn't see it necessary to fill out the other sections about stocks and bonds, life insurance, bank balances, etc. I'm wondering if the lawyer is correct in this or if we should fill out the rest of the information as well. Does anyone know if since the co-sponsors income is well over the poverty line (more than 100k) if it's necessary or not? It is not.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-28 10:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Affidavit of Support? (Kiev)	Hello and Greetings to all members, I apologize if this question was asked already, but I am concerned and need advice. I am the petitioner, I have received a post decision letter saying USCIS has accepted the fiancée petition. I am assuming that soon an I-134 affidavit of support will be required at the interview in Kiev, Ukraine. The issue is that I have no documented income since i am a medical student.In the meantime all my living expenses come from family contributions. Now I would like to know, if my direct kin such as parents or siblings can't co sponsor me, will sponsorship from cousins or aunts be accepted and sufficient? If you have any experience please do advise me. I am grateful for your feedback. Thank you First check with the embassy to find out if they allow the use of co sponsors in K 1 cases. If so the immediate family members can do it. Hopefully the members with direct experiance in the Ukraine will respond.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-28 12:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	service request responding	Thank you ka kun Ning. Nice to meet u here I'm Thai . R u Thai? i guess so. Can i ask u a question? Why my case's been verified longer than others? I really dont understand their process Yes I am Thai. I know how you feel believe me. I have been thru all of what you have & more. My case took 408 days. It is almost impossible to give you an acceptable answer here. Your case is one of about 2.5 million. Each one goes thru one of the service centers & then on to NVC. Your case may be behind others filed at the same time now only to pass those others at some stage of the process. An RFE for example set my case back 2 months. The process is long,diffcult & frustrating for everyone. Just keep in mind they are doing the best they can to extend the privilage of immigration thru a legal process. Its because of this process we are allowed to live in the greatest country on earth. There are reasons we want to come here & there is a price to pay. Once we have gone thru the process we find we are protected by the laws & gain the freedom we may not have had in another country. Your case will get thru NVC fairly quickly compared to USCIS & be forwarded to the embassy. Prepare yourself in every way you can for the cascade of events that happen in the near future. You will see that there is a lot to do in a short time & then you are on your way to a new life.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-28 10:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	service request responding	Hi VJ's members My first time to post here. Me and my fiance(US citizen) got service request last week and today (after got it 1 week) my BF got an e-mail from USCIS following below. What that means? Should we do something next or just wait for the next respond from them? we was waiting for NOA 2 6 1/2 months Type of service requested: -- Outside Normal Processing Times The status of this service request is: We have received your inquiry regarding the status of your petition. Your case has been assigned to an officer and is currently pending review. You will receive notification if additional information is required to process your case. If you have any further questions, please call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. Please remember: By law, every person who is not a U.S. citizen and who is over the age of 14 must submit Form AR-11 AND notify this office of their change of address, within 10 days from when they move (persons in "A" or "G" nonimmigrant status are exempt from this requirement). To notify this office of a move, visit our website at: www.uscis.gov or call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. The Form AR-11 can be downloaded from our website or you can call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 and we can order one for you. Instructions for filing the Form AR-11, including mailing instructions, are included on the Form. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services They have simply notified you that an officer is working on the case right now. There isnt anything that you can or should do. There isnt much better news you could get other than a notice that the case is forwarded to NVC.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-27 11:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-797 question	Hi, still a newbie here. I received a text that my visa application was received. Is this the same as the NOA1? I will be in France for two months visiting my fiance and am worried that the hardcopy will arrive in the mail in the US. My question is do you think an interview would happen that quickly (August) ? and if so, will I need a hardcopy of the NOA1 to bring to the interview? Thanks. NOA 1 is simply the notification that they recieved your application & fee. Nothing to worry about. You will now wait for NOA 2 which is the petition approval by USCIS. It then goes to NVC for processing & then forwarded to the embassy. You are the USC so I dont know why you think you need to be interviewed. Your fiancee will be notified of the need for the P 3 docs. Those will be reviewed which result in P 4 or the notice of the interview date.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-30 11:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Post interview Visa aproval, how long on average?	Excellent and thanks again for replying again. I see how there are so many different situations and how easy it would be to confuse one situation with another. As I understand we are, in-fact, emailing back and forth directly with the officer. Our original officer has since transferred out and we are now dealing directly with the new officer. Actually; my mistake was not failing to give them the info they require. I gave all they required but; I did not qualify financially. That was the delay. My mistake was; not getting on this site from the beginning. Because if I had I would have known which line of my tax return (line 22) would have been used to calculate my earnings. I even paid immigration laywers here that gave me the wrong information! (on the other hand; if I had known I was not qualified I would never have even tried to meet this wonderful woman so I'm kinda glad I never knew). So, I had to file using a joint sponsor who did finally qualify . I think I did not make my questions clear enough; I knew the interview and the approval were two different things. My question is; Will we first get approved and then have yet another waiting period for the "issuance" of the visa. I believe that the answer should be 2 to 3 days? If I am right then we can call the topic closed. And thank you. This is only the 3rd case I know of where a co sponsor was allowed by BKK. Can you provide information to indicate the circumstances of that part of the case? This may be very helpful to many people in the future.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-31 18:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Post interview Visa aproval, how long on average?	Ning, Thank you so much for your kind and informative response. Here is the additional information you were asking about: "Did they keep her passport?" Yes they did keep her passport at the interview. "the case will be reviewed as a whole & based on what they said will be approved" . I see. So then; we do not have an approval yet? They only state "we anticipate being able to issue the visa very soon". They did not use the word "approved", and it has been more than 3 days as you stated. "Send back a reply explaining she needs time to react to the issuance. Ask them to identify a time frame if they can". I did this on Wednesday 5/25. I sent the email to every email address I have for them (just to be sure). They have not replied. This is one of the questions I asked in the email; "when she comes to pick up her visa, will there be an appointed time to get it or will it be available anytime after it is issued." So; That leaves me with thiese questions: 1. Are the approval and the issuance the same step? Because: We thought we had been approved; and just waiting for them to let us know about when the visa would be issued. 2. So then; If we are not "approved", about how long do you think it will be until we are? 3. Will they give an appointment to pick it up or make it available after a certain time? Anybody?.... Again; Thank you so much for taking your time to help. The questions are understandable. Relax, everything is going to be fine. Easy for me to say I know but it is. You made a mistake in not giving them the info they require. This has caused a delay. # 1 No they are not the same. They have said everything looks good but were careful to not say it was approved. It will be approved as soon as its reviewed by the officer. Sometimes the staff ( Thai ) responds before the officer can review. They have assured you they have your info & its complete. You or she will likely be contacted when the visa is ready to be picked up instead of another update. #2 Its was not approved the day she interviewed. They require all the info to be present & correct to approve the case. I gave you my best guess earlier. It has been more than 3 days becuase they have to get it all reviewed again & probably ask for the approval of a supervisor to make sure your info is complete & acceptable. #3 Probably both. Because the interview is complete there is no reason to wait any longer than it takes to get the computer time required to put the visa in the passport. They told my husband it is the very reason it takes 3 days. Having said that I have seen case here where they did it in two. I think they wil just tell her to come on any day after a certian date. Her name will be on the list at the front gate. She will go in & be done very quickly. I would suggest you have her use the pin number to call. She needs her case number. Its the best way I know of for her to get current info quickly. They are terrible at contacting people at times. I think they get a million emails & just cant answer.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-30 19:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Post interview Visa aproval, how long on average?	So my future bride to be had her interview at the Embassy in Bangkok and was told we would get a visa after submitting more financial documents; current tax return, P&L statements, proof of assets etc... So I emailed those as requested. The Bangkok consular emailed back a week ago saying "The new documents appear to be in order, so we anticipate being able to issue the visa very soon". This sounds like an aproval. I had no idea that after the aproval there was a wait for the visa to be issued. How long is "very soon", or how long until we will get notice that she can go to Bangkok to pick up the visa? Thanks in advance for your kind response:) You left out the important info. Did they keep her passport? They probably did. If so the case will be reviewed as a whole & based on what they said will be approved. It then takes about 3 days to place the visa in the passport. They issue these visas on Monday or Wed. usually. Today ( Monday ) is a holiday which is observed by the embassy. This may mean they would issue the visa Wed or the following Monday. They could choose to issue it on any other work day because she wouldnt need to interview. You are lucky they took time to send you that email. Send back a reply explaining she needs time to react to the issuance. Ask them to identify a time frame if they can. Additionaly she could go to any Thai post office to buy a specail pin number which allows her to call directly into the embassy visa section to inquire. Its about 15 bucks. Has she paid the visa fee? This can be done at the post office in most locations. If hers doesnt do it she can do it directly across the street from the embassy. Behind the high rise there is a Soi. Walk left of the back of the high rise down the little street to a small post office. She will have time to do so when she goes to pick up the passport.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-30 11:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K-2 Visa for Fiancee's child.	Okay, so, my fiancee is in Ukraine and we have about finished her I-129F and all the assorted forms and evidence. However, my question is, what do I need to do for her 10 year old? I know she will need a K-2 Visa, but what forms do I fill out and submit? Do I submit them at the same time as the I-129F package? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Same as any other person including the medical & visa fee. In additon the mother will need to get a passport for the child of course. And a letter in both languages signed by the father allowing the child to emmigrate. The embassy may supply a sample of the letter if asked. The follow up fees in the USA will also be the same. Edited by Ning, 04 June 2011 - 11:40 AM.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-04 11:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Affidavit od Support i-134	SO here is the dealio, I just graduated college last year. worked part time for no significant income from the summer to December. My dad actually claimed me on his taxes for last year and So i have no means of personally showing I can support my fiance. Can my friend do it, he makes just over 35 K and only has himself on his taxes. Thnx alot guys! If its a K 1 case check with the embassy to see if they allow co sponsors for your case. If so the sponsor must be a USC & should be a close family member. A friend may be allowed but may not be accepted depending on the exact circumstances. You would fill out the support form & include some explanation of why you dont have enough income at this time & what you will be doing in the future to improve it. Thats the dealio.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-02 11:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Immigration service providers	Perhaps I didn't word it well. I'm not looking for a particular company. Just want to know if they are worth the expense or if they provide a service that is necessary. Is it better to do the application for K1 myself or to hire these services. I still am curious what others' experiences are/were before I make a decision. These service? providers get paid to do what you have to do anyway which is gather all the info. They simply fill in the forms & you sign & pay. What you really get for your money is false sense that things are going to be easy & faster. Neither is true when you factor in that you have hired no more than a filter service. You are in the right place here on V J.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-05 15:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	can i translate ???	there are translators here that do this by payment but is this required ? No. The translations can be done by anyone comptent in both languages. This becomes the " certification " when a simple statement is made by the person that indicates they are fluent in both languages. That statement is dated & signed by the person & included with the translated docs. The criteria for this can be found on the USCIS web site by typing translations in the search block or by doing the same here on VJ.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-09 13:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can't get updates on our K-1 approval status	Hey everyone, So, my dear, sweet baby is really worried because we haven't been approved yet. We filed in February and it seems like it's taking forever and were both very worried about it (more her than I am, so far). But here's the situation. We've tried calling the USCIS, but we haven't gotten very far. All they will tell us is that our case is pending. I even asked for a Tier 2 Immigration officer. The lady told me that they didn't have Immigration officers (and if I wanted to talk to one, I would have to make an appointment at a local office0, but they could connect me a tier 2 customer service person. That person just told me that the case was still pending. My GF also thinks that I "screwed up" on the call because I paused for a second before telling them my name, and almost said 16 instead of 15 when giving them my street address. She thinks this may be the reason we didn't get the information we wanted, because I didn't know how to talk to them or ask the right questions. Also, were a bit worried because I have a minor misdemeanor on my record (due to my roommates dog not having it's license). Lastly, I haven't officially proposed to her and given her an engagement ring. Do you guys think were being held back for any of the reasons above? I'm not sure what I should do. Some people (including my GF), think that I need to continue calling them and pushing them. I don't know if this will help, and I never get any information that I want. This is a journey. You wont get reliable updates. You have seen what happens when you call. The updates if you get them are just as worthless because they are out of date anyway. Pending is all you will hear or see because the case is pending until its adjudicated. They all are. Are they delaying your case because of the roommates dog? This is unique even for V J. No to both reasons. Dont drive yourself nuts trying to figure out why the case isnt approved by now. USCIS is dealing with about 2.5 million cases. Yours in one. One in the pile that Otto described. My case took 408 days. Yours shouldnt.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-14 09:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Co Sponsor backing out im lost and frustrated	My brother in law works for NASA and has a top clearance security, he told me he doesnt think he can sponsor my Fiancee because of his government security clearance. This is according to his boss, has anyone heard of this? Its just a financial support issue, how does that compromise security? Even though people mean well with their advise you should begin by checking with the embassy in the P I to find out if they will even allow co sponsor in your case. They do not in most. It would be a shame to get to the intervew only to find they wont.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-14 09:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Court Order/ Consent to travel for minor	I have a question regarding the "Court Order" required for the visa application for a minor (K2 Visa). Is this the same document as the "Consent to Travel" letter? or do I require two separate things? (The first one for her to enter USA and AOS and the other to leave this country). It would be best to check directly with the embassy there to identify exactly what is required. I have no experiance with Argentina but many if not all embassies require a special document signed by the father in both languages before a visa is issued. You can ask them if they have a sample letter to be used as a guide. Some embassies require the father to come into the embassy for a short interview.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-16 13:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Tourist Visa vs. K1	Just wanted to clarify something. I read everything i could regarding the visa process and i became very familiar what to do and what not. i just filed K1 packet few days ago for my fiancee. But the question is, rather statement than question First of all, i know this is illegal what I'm going to say but just want yours opinion. I know couple folks that brought their fiance(s)'s on tourist visa (2 months process), got married in US after staying couple months and got their green cards without a question asked. If it can be done this way, why do we have to go through the long process? Like i said, i know it's illegal but none of these folks got caught, and i know lots of them. Feel free to put in you 2 cents What is important is intent at the time of entry. Using a tourist visa as means to circumvent the immigration process is fraudulent. That may result in a lifetime or extended ban. It simply isnt worth the agony of trying to fool USCIS or the price that is paid when caught. Those that you know that broke the law should be ashamed of themselves. We go thru the process in a effort to respect the laws of the USA & retain our own self respect in doing so. We earned the privilage of immgrating here without having to worry about the future. I for one look forward to the day I become a citizen of the USA. Even today I enjoy the freedom granted to me by being here.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-16 13:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	They lost my petition after they approved it.	The USCIS says they mailed the petition to the NVC for processing. The NVC says they never got it, four weeks later. I was told to email them a scanned copy of the NOA2 to the NVC so they can investigate it. Still have heard nothing. Has this ever happened to anyone else before??? I'm getting a little frustrated I almost want to see if they'd let me mail them the extra copy of the petition that I have. How can they just lose it like that?? I want him here on time, not delayed! This is exactly what we went thru. Its happens to many people. Your case isnt lost. USCIS finishes the case by placing a bar code on the case file. It is then forwrded to NVC. USCIS doesnt hold the finished cases. You can not mail a copy of the petition to NVC because it wont have been approved by USCIS. The USC should make on INFO PASS appointment to sit down with USCIS. My husband did this 3 times trying to find the case. USCIS told him " this just never happens" & began to try to find the file. They never did. They never responded to the letters they asked him to write (9). NVC told him to write. He did. They never responded. The USC should enlist the help of their U S Senator. Find their web site. Find the form for immigration help. Print & send in. Sit back & wait for about 30 days. A letter will be sent to the USC. It will say USCIS is trying to find the case. Once that is done the USC can call the good Senators staff to see what more they can or will do. It isnt much. Meanwhile your case could be in A P or simply in a box with hundreds of other waiting for NVC to process. Eventually it will surface & be completed. Mine took 408 days. On time? I am sorry to say that wont happen. These agencys are very busy & people are having to wait longer than at other times.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-30 10:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	ds-156 form has expired date	Hey all, Just had a quick question and was hoping someone could help . I am filling out the ds-156 electronic app online and the date in the corner has expired. I have been waiting for them to change the date but must get this form in the mail before my fiances interview. Will they still accept this form? What has happened in the past? Thanks for the help! Karen Use the form. There will be no problem.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-17 13:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Worthwhile to make InfoPass appointment for delayed K-1 Approval?	As many of you know, I have been told for the past few months that our case is still undergoing "background checks" and to check back in six months. Every time I manage to get through to someone to put in a service request for an update, we get the same response, and they start the time line over and say "six months". So at first it was six months from April...then from May...anyway we filed 8 and a half months ago and no NOA2 yet. We are getting no where. My Congressman's aide has been in touch with VSC and they tell her the same thing - undergoing background checks, cannot be expedited, check back for the latest status in six months. We have no idea what the hold up is. I have explained in other threads, neither of us have a criminal background, and my fiance already has a valid tourist visa to the US that was issued in 2005 and is valid until 2015. So, clearly, he does not have any criminal past. I called USCIS again yesterday, always with the hope of some bit of information. The woman yesterday suggested I could schedule an InfoPass appointment to get some more information since she can't see beyond what is on the computer. Has anyone done this for this type of situation/delay? Will they be able to tell me what the hold up is if I go to an InfoPass appointment? I just want to know if the hold up is a false name hit or what, and how long it may take to resolve. We need to know if this is worth waiting out or not - because we will not wait if it really is another six months (and then who knows, six months beyond that). Thoughts? My K 3 case took 408 days. You arent even close to that at this point. Lets hope I continue to hold some sort of record. Like you we didnt have anything in our background that would cause any type of delay. My husband wants to finish this responce. It should be noted that out of the 408 days Ning counted a mistake made by me cost us 60. This means the case could have been approved in 348 days if all went well.? You have to be a frustrated as I was. I can tell you from experiance that the politicians are a waste of time. Deal with USCIS directly by using INFO PASS so you get first hand info. I met with them on three occasions trying to resolve our problems. They couldnt figure out what exactly the problem was. They did initiate some sort of internal actions trying to get the case moving. One good aspect of that is that if they decided USCIS made some mistake they will expidite your case. One officer took the time to look into our problem & made the effort to call me with what little news he had. To say that these INFO PASS people can not help is wrong. They are in fact trained USCIS officers which report to supervisors. If you dont get some usable info ask for the super. If you wont wait what will you do instead? The phone robots are trained to give the 6 month responce. Forget them & try the INFO PASS approach. You will at the least feel like you did all you could. I went one step further to find the real answer to the problem in our case. I will not go into that again here on V J because when I gave the info in the past people said it wasnt possible to have done what I did. I will only say it produced the results we needed & the visa we waited for.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-18 18:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Lawyer and 125% of poverty Level	Bonjour, Hello.... I am from Tahiti, French Polynesia My very very fist post in the forum, and my very very first action in this website My Fiancé and I had just applied for the K-1 Visa and had sent our application on tuesday morning Because of what we hear from here and there, is it true that a lawyer will make everything faster and will guaranty an approval ? Are you guys doing it yourselves ??? for the ones who succeeded on your own (without a lawyer) how long did it take you to get approved ? My other question is the Financial requirement. I read my fiancé has to make at least 125% of the US poverty level for a houshold of 2....i have been trying to look for a number, buti can't find anything about it. Thank you for reading my post. A Bigger Thank you for those who answered it A Bigger Bigger Thank you for those who provides me useful answer A lawyer simply charges you to organize your own information. They tell you what to send then apply that info to the very same forms we all filled out. Its sent back to you to sign & pay for. They dont make it faster. In fact they slow it all down because they have to handle to paper work twice as much as you do. You feel they are doing a good job because it takes so long. That all changes when you begin to misunderstand the situation & ask them questions. You dont need a lawyer until you have a legal problem.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-05-05 14:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	i need help on how to start filing k1 visa	i'm a single mom and my fiance and i are planning to bring my kid along with me to the states.. can we do that with a fiance(k1) visa?? my daughter is just three years old. i'm new to this, and i have no idea on the how-abouts.. so as my boyfriend. he doesnt know where and how to start. as of the moment he is waiting for his passport to be released. he is also new to this kind of stuff. we need help. thanks For the best result the USC should post the questions. It will be up to them to fill out the forms correctly to begin the process. At the top of the page find the GUIDES area. Thats where to begin. Study all the info first to determin what actual questions arise then post them in the correct forum such as K 1.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-25 20:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Applying for tourist visa after K-1 filed	Hi! I had a qusetion for you. I am planning to get my fiancee here to US on Tourist visa from India, while we wiat for approval of petition. At the time of interview of your fiancee, did she declare that you have filed for K-1 petition.. and what questiosn were asked at the time of interview? Thanks, With respect it would be best if you began a new post. This area is specific to Thailand. Any responce would have little value to you because you are dealing with India. Tourist visas are difficult to get from many countries including India. Especially if you have a pending petition. Your fiancee will be asked if there is a pending petition. Study the strongest ties rule to determin if she can comply. I doubt they will issue her a tourist visa in this situation.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-28 19:31:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	NOA2 approved but Fiancee with me in the USA on holiday	Ning, one thing I was never sure of was are you supposed to send the police report with packet 3 or can you give it when you have your interview? I was not sure so I had Pui make a copy of police report and send with packet 3 and bring the original to the interview. Things have changed since I went thru this & I havent checked on what you are refering to. We never got P 3 so we hand delivered the forms for the interview. I think they could submit the P 3 without the police report if there was an simple note that it would be turned in at the interview due to timing. As far as U S medical it may be ok but would cost a lot more just to save one day. As you know Andy nothing is for sure in BKK. We Thais just love the word " Sorry" !!	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-28 23:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	NOA2 approved but Fiancee with me in the USA on holiday	rpmanger, on the hard copy of your NOA2 it will say the following: Notice Type: Approval Notice Valid from xx/xx/xxxx to xx/xx/xxxx Consulate: BANGKOK It should be good for 4 months, or at least mine was. So any time between the valid dates you can send in packet 3. If you still need more time you can always email the embassy and ask for them to extend the time. Some people on a K-1 sometimes never receive packet 3. You can get it online here http://bangkok.usemb...structions.html. I remember Pui did get a letter in the mail with that link. You should be able to get some of stuff done in the US but not all. Look at packet 3 and see if you have any questions. Andy is correct here but I would add some info. You could fill out & send in the P 3 info now to begin the process of getting the interview date. The most recent case I know of took 30 to 60 days. If the date wasnt acceptable you could request a different date at a later time. Her police report will take a couple of weeks to obtain. The medical is done in one day & she will get the paper work that day before she leaves.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-28 19:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Once NOA2 is received how much time can go by....	Thank you. I'm hoping that someone can point me in a direction, either here on VJC or elsewhere so I can confirm the one year allowance. I would think one would have to have a pretty good friend to co-sponsor. If things went bad, and the person ended up receiving welfare/medicaid or some form of public support, wouldn't the powers that be hit the co-sponsor if the sponsor for any reason could not pay? I can confirm that in a case I am helping with which was denied during the interview they did allow up to a year to provide the evidence required to review the case again. In any case where a co sponsor is used that additional sponsor becomes responcible for the support of the immigrant. Again BKK almost never accepts co sponsors.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-30 21:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Once NOA2 is received how much time can go by....	I've read till my eyes are blurry so let's see if I have this correct... Once I get back the NOA2 which seems to be about a 4 month or so time-frame, I then send off the I-134 with Affidavit of Support. Here's the question: How much time after I receive the NOA2 do I have to file the I-134. Not the minimum time, I'm looking for the maximum time. Here's why: I have no job. I do have about $1k @ month income. I probably have the 5x the required amount in assets, but I've read that Thailand wants to see "a job." I can accept that. I've taken a year off since my last job to build our house and so have not been employed, and also I used the time to visit my now fiancee. I don't need a job right now as my living costs are extremely low, after all, I have no mortgage, no rent, no heat bills (I cut and use wood from my land)and I have no debt. The reality is I could go years with out working--perhaps the rest of my life, though that's not my style--I prefer to work, but I prefer to have our house totally finished first. So let's say that I get the NOA2 back in December. Then I expect to be mostly finished on the house, and I'll go and find a job. Even in this economy with my skill set I will be able to find contract work (which is normally how I work). The job may be only 30 hours a week, as many employers are doing this to avoid having to give out benefits, but the income would still be perfectly adequate as far making the required amount of income. The job I find might be a 3 month assignment, or it may be contract/permanent (which is often the way I end up working) but I'd rather know that I have a few months if necessary to find that job and accumulate 4 pay stubs to make the Embassy happy. So how long can, if necessary, I hold back the I-134 with the Affidavit of Support before things go boom? Does the I-134 expire at some point? A co-sponsor is not an option as the only family I does not have the means to be a co-sponsor. Thanks You are a little blurry which has affected your ability to plan to the same degree. There are many people here on V J that have waited 6 months or even more for the NOA 2. You do not send in the 134 when you get that notice. After NOA 2 the case will go to NVC. If it is a K 1 it will got thru fairly quickly. That could be a few weeks to a month. Its then sent to BKK which takes about 2 weeks until its actualy in the visa section of the embassy. They will send out notice of the need for P 3 docs. That is when you would need to send in the 134. That notification can take weeks to months. Overall you are looking at 8 to 10 months to the point of needing the 134. You could delay the sending of the P 3 docs for quite awhile. Possibly up to a year. I am not sure of that. Your present income falls about 7 K short of the requirement as you know. Your assets would help but may not be enough. What will become important is the timing of your income from the new source. You should show it has been sufficent for a few months prior to the interview timing. Remember its is she that will interview so they will not ask questions about your future ability to earn. The decision will be based on the recent past & the present as it exists at the time of the intervew. All they will know or care about is what you submit as part of the P 3. They may ask for tax transcripts if there is any question about your income levels. In K 1 situations BKK rarely allows co-sponsors at all. In your case I doubt they would. If you decided to try it the co sponsor should be a family member or close friend.	Ning	Female	Thailand	2011-06-30 21:09:00